


Caught Me in the Tide and I Caught You

by deandratb



Series: Uncharted Skies [2]
Category: Firefly
Genre: M/M, brief references to River Tam and Jayne Cobb but no actual appearances by anyone else
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 07:51:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6558328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deandratb/pseuds/deandratb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fic, AU mid-series. <i>Though he knows what it’s not, he’s not sure what it is, and he definitely doesn’t know how to explain it.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Caught Me in the Tide and I Caught You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [broken_hearted_bard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_hearted_bard/gifts).



> Disclaimed. Prompt: **“Have you lost your damn mind!?”**

“Have you lost your damn mind?” Simon waits until they’re alone in the mess before he explodes. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Mal stares at Simon as though he’s the one who’s gone crazy. _Sometimes it feels like he has._

"I was thinking I’m tired of pretending nobody on this gorram ship knows what we’re doing. They may be rough around the edges, Doc, but my crew ain’t made of idiots. ‘Cept Jayne, sometimes.”

His lips twitch around that one exception, then flatten again. “You got a problem bein’ with me, **say so.** Don’t expect we're going to be some sort of secret.”

“It wasn’t--I wasn’t...it’s not like that,” Simon finishes faintly. Though he knows what it’s not, he’s not sure what it is, and he definitely doesn’t know how to explain it. But Mal grabbing him by the nape of the neck and casually kissing him goodbye, in front of everyone, terrified him...and he doesn’t know what to do.

“I don’t care if they know. River knows,” he adds, “but she’s not in any shape to have a heart-to-heart. I haven’t been hiding it.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I’m not used to this!” Simon snaps. Then, finally understanding the problem, he sighs, running a hand through his hair and leaning against the cool metal of the ship.

Mal stills. His voice is somehow both dangerous and scared. “Not used to what?”

“To being **with** someone. In front of other people. With everything--with River--there wasn’t time. There was never time.”

“I’m your first,” Mal realizes out loud, waiting for Simon’s nod of acknowledgement. “Huh.”

The doctor sighs again, pushing off the wall. When he tries to go around Mal on the walkway, the captain grabs his arm, stopping him. “Where’re you goin’?”

“Back to the infirmary.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to make things uncomfortable. I know it’s not...” He searches for the right word. “Ideal. My lack of experience.”

Mal’s hand slides down his arm until their fingers meet. “Who says it’s less than ideal? Don’t put words in my mouth.”

He grips Simon’s hand with the same strength that held onto his arm a moment earlier, the same strength that shoved him into a wall months ago, before they worked out their issues. _And again, after they had--a different wall, a different intention._

“I upset you,” Simon murmurs, not sure what to make of Mal when he’s gentle.

“You did,” he agrees. “Don’t mean much.” Mal squeezes Simon’s hand, gets his attention before adding, “You just need practice. Seems to me, prodigy genius from MedAcad should be able to figure out being with me in front of people while we fly.”

“Yeah?” His smile blooms in a way that makes Mal want to lean in right there, but he knows Simon’s skittish yet. _He’s dealt with worse._

“Mm-hmm.” He grins back instead, murmuring against Simon’s lips when the doctor tentatively closes the distance between them. “Plenty of time for that. Not going nowhere.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Slow Life" by Of Monsters and Men.


End file.
